Efficacy of different heat treatment procedures in controlling diseases of mango fruits.
Esguerra E. B., Valerio-Traya R. F., Lizada M. C. C.
Author Affiliation: Postharvest Horticulture Training and Research Center, College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños College, Laguna 4031, Philippines.
: 551-556
Abstract : Different heat treatment procedures were evaluated to compare their efficacy in controlling diseases of mango fruits. Mature green 'Carabao' mangoes were subjected to the following heat treatments within 30 h after harvest: hot water treatment (HWT; 53°C, 10 minutes), hot water brush (HWB; 60°C, 20-35 seconds) and a brief exposure to hot water dip (HWD; 60°C, 20-35 seconds). Fruits were then subjected to vapour heat treatment (VHT) and ripened at 25°C. All heat treatment procedures resulted in a reduction in anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides [Glomerella cingulata]) and stem end rot (Lasiodiplodia theobromae) incidence. The usual HWT and the brief exposure to HWD at 60°C for 35 seconds controlled the development of anthracnose. HWB for 35 seconds also caused a considerable reduction in disease incidence. Variable degree of disease control was obtained when the different heat treatments were combined with VHT. VHT alone did not control anthracnose and stem end rot since incidence was comparable with the control. HWT in combination with VHT resulted in faster peel colour change compared with the rest of the treatments. At the ripe stage, lenticel spotting was more prominent in fruits subjected to HWB compared with HWT and least in HWD. Physicochemical characteristics of the fruits were not influenced by any of the heat treatments employed.